Lung Cancer History

History of Lung Cancer
Cancer of the lung was nearly nonexistent in the early 1900's. By the
middle of the 20th century, however, an epidemic became apparent
throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world. This dramatic increase
correlated with the widespread prevalence of cigarette smoking. The
tobacco industry had largely multiplied its production immediately
prior to WWI. The early part of the epidemic correlated with the
typical 20 to 30-year lagging period between initiation of smoking and
the actual tumor formation. Despite denial from the tobacco companies
the correlation was conclusively established in 1950. The tobacco
companies continued to maintain that cigarette smoking was not
addictive and did not cause cancer. Tobacco companies remain the most
profitable business in the world.
Lung cancer is not a single neoplasm but a group of aggressive
malignant tumors of the lower respiratory tract and are by far the most
lethal of human tumors for men in the world and since 1987 it exceeded
breast cancer as the leading cancer cause of death in women in the U.S.
(68,800 vs. 39,800 respectively in 2004), a fact not well known among
women and many health professionals. Women now account for 40% of all
lung cancer cases. The reason is not known but women who smoke are
more than twice as likely as male smokers to develop lung cancer. Even
years after smokers of either gender quit, their risk of acquiring lung
cancer stays high. The risk of second hand smoking is real and women
are at a significantly higher risk.
The annual incidence and mortality rate of lung cancer has increased
more than any other malignancy in the last decade. In 1950 there were
18,318 deaths from lung cancer in the United States. The American
Cancer Society estimates that 172,000 new cases of cancer of the lung
will be diagnosed this year, accounting for 13% of all 1.3 million new
cancer cases expected, and less than 15% of these patients will
survive. It also estimates that there will be over 160,000 deaths as
a result of cancer of the lung in 2004, accounting for 28% of all
cancer mortality. Lung cancer alone accounts for more cancer deaths
than the combined number of the next four more common causes of cancer
death in America. Despite great advances in medicine in the last 40
years, the overall 5-year survival rate of cancer of the lung of only
15% has remained strikingly unchanged. In contrast, in all types of
cancer that have early detection programs, the 5-year survival rate
significantly increased in the last 20 years. Cancer of the colon
improved from 50 to 62%, breast cancer from 75 to 86%, and cancer of
the prostate from 67 to 97%. Unfortunately, the current official
position of the American Cancer Society is against screening for cancer
of the lung, even among high risk individuals, despite the fact that
the 5-year survival rate of early staged cancer of the lung is 67%
after surgical removal, compared with the commonly currently diagnosed
symptomatic patients who usually present with advanced stages and have
a less than 10% 5-year survival rate.
Public perception that patients with lung cancer are to blame for their
disease, lack of awareness and poor patient advocacy has created
disparity with other less common causes of cancer death that are
relatively better funded. Of interest over half of patients with lung
cancer diagnosed today are never-smokers or ex-smokers and many of them
victims of second hand smoking, of those particularly affected are
women. An effective fight against cancer of the lung will require
prevention, early detection programs and early intervention. Lung
cancer screening must be made a public health priority, funds certainly
exist from the tobacco companies settlement.